Week 4 NFL Thoughts

I want to change things up a little bit and instead of talking about the same three teams week in and week out, I wanted to touch on the few games that really jumped out to me from week to week.

Broncos beat the Raiders 37-6. This is the best the broncos have looked since the season started. I knew Peyton still had it, and I will continue to defend the fact that he should be in Arizona until I see him win a Super Bowl in blue and orange, but this was a good step in the right direction for him and the Broncos.

I knew he still had it, it was the team around him I was not sure about. 

There were a few mistakes on defense and one really big one from Demaryius Thomas on offense, but the Broncos offense really started to click a little bit. 

You can't argue with 30/38 for 338 yards and 3 touchdowns from Manning. I can't wait to see if this team is for real next week when they take on the Patriots. 

Tom Brady shredded the Broncos defense twice last season and like I said when Arizona played them, this will be a good test for Denver to see what they are really made of early in the season.  

Vikings take down the Lions 20-13. A lot of people have their surprise teams of the season, mine is the Vikings. Back to back wins over the 49ers and Lions is very impressive. 

The Vikings defense did their part to shut down the Lions rushing game. Stafford was able to throw the ball all over the place, but the Vikings defense held the Lions out of the end zone when it counted. 

I am still not totally sold on Christian Ponder at quarterback yet, but for right now, who cares? If Adrian Peterson can keep running the football for 100 yards a game and the defense can keep other teams to just a touchdown a game, the Vikings will be in a good way in a down NFC North division. 

 

Falcons survive the Panthers 30 to 28. 

This picture says it all.

I don't know the guy personally, but I feel like Cam Newton has lost passion for the game or at the very least for the Panthers.

Newton has plenty of energy when he scores a touchdown and dances, but I want to see him fire his team up and rally them. We all heard the depressing Newton press conference last week...if you didn't, go ahead and Google it, I will wait.

C'mon Cam, you are better than that, rally your team! Show that same energy toward them that you show when you score a touchdown and dance.

It took a big time stroke of luck for the Falcons to win this game and stay at 4-0, but Matt Ryan looks crazy good. One of only three quarterbacks to ever win a game on the blue turf at Broncos Stadium, I can see a Super Bowl in his future. Maybe not a win, but I think he can get there one day.

Poor Billy Cundiff. He had missed three field goals in the game before he kicked though the game winner that barley slipped by the upright. Redskins edge out the Bucs 24-22

Robert Griffin III had another really big game. He made plays happen through the air with 300 yards passing and with his legs, scoring touchdowns and picking up clutch first downs.

How can you not like this guy? He has a great attitude and a great energy for the game. Take notes Cam.

As for Tampa, 1-3 is rough, I really feel like this team can be so much better than their record shows. I remember what this team did last season at Green Bay and I have watched them have very close calls and near wins against good teams like Dallas and the New York Giants. 

You hear it a lot on sports center, and I agree with them, I believe in Josh Freeman and I think he has a world of potential to be a star quarterback one day. The sky is the limit for Freeman.

Arizona has another miracle win 24-21 over Miami.

Wow. I watched this game live and it had so many twists and turns. Just like they did last season, Arizona is pulling out wins from no place and finding a way to win games. A lot of people missed what the Cardinals did last season because people stopped caring after they started 1-6.

Go look at some of the crazy games the Cardinals had last season to finish their year strong. People talk about Tebowmania and his and the Broncos four overtime wins, but Arizona had the same number of crazy come from behind overtime wins last season. Maybe Tebow should have gone to Arizona? hmmm....

Check out some of the crazy games from last season

Kevin Kolb came close to throwing this game away when they could have put it away, but he redeemed himself in the end. Crazy plays on 4th downs to pull out this win.

We can't leave out the Cardinals defense, they did it again forcing four turnovers on Miami to help the offense out.

  

People said before the season started that the Texans would be the team to look out for to make a Super Bowl run. I did not buy it, but now I do.

Texans dominate the Titans 38 to 14.

Matt Schaub looks really good. he threw for more than 200 yards and 2 Touchdowns. Schaub has tossed just one interception all season in four games. 

Put that together with a really good defense, and you have a really good team on your hand that can sneak up on you. Of the three 4-0 teams left in the NFL, the Texans have looked the most dominate.

Watch out for this team.

Talk of the Patriots demise were greatly exaggerated. Tom Brady did what Tom Brady does. Win football games.

Patriots pound the Bills in the second half 52 to 28.

New England scored 31 points in the fourth quarter! That looks like something a college football team would do, not an NFL team.

Fans on twitter and facebook who were freaking out, no need to worry, this team still has it. And they are doing it with some of their best players out injured.

The Patriots had two players rush for 100 yards each!

Patriots get the Broncos next week, and as I said, I want to see Brady and the Broncos defense again. A rematch of two playoff teams and two teams that very well could be going back to the playoffs. Lets see who wins out, Brady or Manning, Broncos or Patriots defense.

Finally, the most embarrassing game of the week. 49ers rout the Jets 34 to 0.

If not for the Jets playing tough on defense, this score of this game could have been 20 times worse than what it was.

You heard it all week long on twitter and on sports center. San Francisco out "Tebowed" the Jets. They walked into the Jets home stadium and and one week, did more with a wildcat offense than the Jets have done in four weeks.

Mark Sanchez was 13 of 29 for 103 yards. I know the poor guy is trying hard, but the moment he walks out onto the football field, he just looks defeated. Like I said about Cam Newton, get your team fired up Mark! Don't look like your going to fail the moment you walk onto the field. As a quarterback you are the leader of this team and it is time to act like it. I leave this blog with thoughts from ESPN personalities and others on the New York Jets quarter back situation:

Mike Greenberg ‏@Espngreeny
In 17 minutes, the #49ers have been infinitely more creative with their 2nd QB than the #Jets have been all year.


Skip Bayless ‏@RealSkipBayless
Harbaugh showing up Rex, unleashing Kaepernick the way Rex should be using Tebow, letting Kaep run option, throw deep, run for TD. Love it.


Smart Football ‏@smartfootball
Is Jim Harbaugh running spread offense stuff just to show Ryan/Sparano that they don't know what they're doing with Tebow?


Stephen A Smith ‏@stephenasmith
This is unbelievable. The 49ers are running @TimTebow plays better than the Jets do for Tebow. Lawd have mercy.


Mike Greenberg ‏@Espngreeny
I'm not sure how much worse you can look playing quarterback than Mark Sanchez has looked today. #Jets


Howard Finkel ‏@howardfinkel
It's time to put Tebow in and see if he can get a spark going!


Bill Romanowski ‏@billromanowski
Sanchez doesn't love football and it shows. #Jets

Bill Romanowski ‏@billromanowski
#Jets season is over unless they turn to Tebow.


Skip Bayless ‏@RealSkipBayless
Sanchez has turned into a brain locked basket case, Jets down 34-0, yet Rex won't play Tebow. Afraid he'll spark team, create controversy


Manish Mehta ‏@MMehtaNYDN
Time is now to make a change at quarterback: Put Tim Tebow behind center and see if he can provide a spark today. Sanchez doesn't have it


Skip Bayless ‏@RealSkipBayless
Now clear Rex signed Tebow to be nothing more than circus sideshow - a gadget back, decoy, distraction. Tebow can't be happy. Joke is on Rex


Skip Bayless ‏@RealSkipBayless
Rex should've played Tebow down 10-0 at half. What he does best is ignite/unify undermanned team with his force of will. Would've scared SF.


Skip Bayless for Jets Head Coach.

Gaming World - 2027 Troy Trojans - Awards Night & Bowl Selection

So here we are.  For the second time in an eight year coaching career, we completed the season in front of us with a perfect 13-0 record.  The only thing that was left to do was sit and wait. What bowl game would we be going to? And for that matter, would we be going back to the national championship game? The Trojans would find out their fate on the Bowl Selection Show on ESPN, but before then it was awards night in New York City.

The Trojan players and I arrived in New York on Saturday and I sat in the crowd and watched with some of the greatest coaches in college football history. 

It was time for the for the trophies to be handed out to the best players in college football in 2027.

No successful 13-0 season goes unrecognized, and the Troy Trojans took home plenty of regular season awards.

Our record breaking starting quarterback Alonzo Roberts took home the Maxwell Award for outstanding player of the year.

Roberts also took home the Walter Camp Award as national player of the year.

Roberts made it three for three on the night, taking home the Davey O'Brien Award, recognizing the national quarterback of the year.

Wide Receiver/Tight End Kyle Kidd won the John Mackey Award for outstanding tight end of the year.

Trojan Adam Roberts took home the returner of the year trophy.

And finally, last but certainly not least, for the fourth time in seven years, I was called up on stage to receive the coach of the year trophy. As always, the credit goes to these great Trojan football players, they earned this trophy for me.

The Main Event of the night was up next. It was time to find out if Troy University would take home a second Heisman trophy.  

By more than 400 votes the voters decided, Trojan quarterback Alonzo Roberts would become Troy's second Heisman trophy winner! Congratulations to Alonzo Roberts! He joins Josiah Higdon as Troy University's second Heisman Trophy winner. This can only help in the future when it comes to recruiting quarterbacks to come to Troy University. 

After sitting on the bench his first two years behind Higdon, and being benched last year due to poor play, there is no better feeling for Roberts than to bounce back in his Senior year and be recognized as the best player in college football in 2027!

Here you can see Roberts & Higdon's Heisman Trophies as well as my four coach of the year awards. Also other awards from present and past players, most of them won by Josiah Higdon.

On this Saturday night, the Trojan football team was on top of the world. All these regular season trophies and Conference USA Championship was nice, but there was one thing left for this football team to get.

Even with a 13-0 record and a #2 ranking, would to voters vote for us to go back to the National Championship game just two years after losing it all to Air Force? Or would they vote in 12-1 Alabama or 12-1 Wisconsin?

ESPN's Bowl Selection show was here. All the football players, Troy staff and Troy students gathered in Trojan Arena to watch to show. ESPN sent a camera crew down to either film our excitement...or disappointment. 

After 30 long minutes of waiting....it was official.

The Troy Trojans were going back to the National Championship game. This time it was in the Super Dome in New Orleans. A dome this Troy team plays in every other year and played in this year when we went up against Tulane back in week three. Advantage us! 

Big XII Champion, 12-0, #1 TCU vs. Conference USA Champion, 13-0, #2 Troy!

The two top teams in the nation going head to head. We have a month to prepare for this big game. The Trojans are determined not to go home empty handed again! Lets get to work Trojans!

The Hunt for October, MLB hits a home run with new ten team playoff

Playoff time. The most exciting time in all of sports.

But perhaps, even more exciting is that final run at the end of the season to make the playoffs.

If you are not following the MLB playoff race this season, you are missing out. The MLB has done an amazing job at turning the last few weeks of the long 162 game season into something really exciting and special.

When first hearing about MLB adding the 5th playoff team to the AL and NL, AKA the 2nd Wild Card team, I was skeptical, I think we all were. However, we are in year one of the new playoff system and it is awesome!

Unlike in the NHL and NBA where 16 teams make the playoffs, there is excitement at the end of the season in MLB. In NHL and NBA teams can clinch top four playoff spots close to two or more months before the season is over. That leaves us fans to watch bad teams fighting it out for 7 and 8 seeds to close out the year.You put that together with a two month, four round playoff and by the time we hit the finals, the teams are so worn down, you are not seeing the best from the teams.

What MLB has done is brought excitement back to the end of the season and continuing right into the playoffs. No baseball fan will ever forget game 162 last season. The Rays vs. The Yankees, The Red Sox vs. The Orioles, The Cardinals vs. The Astros & The Braves vs. The  Phillies.

Four games in one night that will go down in MLB history and will be forever etched in the minds of those of us that watched them. Even if our teams were winners or losers, we will always remember" Game 162, 2011" .  

I remember the Rays vs. Yankees game was on ESPN TV and the Red Sox vs. Orioles game on ESPN3.com. I had them both going at the same time and watched as the Red Sox blew their lead and lose the game. Just two minutes later, Evan Longoria drills a home run in extra innings just over the left field wall in walk off fashion to send the Rays to the playoffs.

Awesome.

A moment so big in Tampa Bay Rays history, they made a monument of it right where the baseball landed.

No way baseball could top that night one year later, right? With the new five team playoff rules, they are well on their way to doing it again.

With as little as nine games left in the regular season, teams are just now clinching playoffs spots, not two months early like in other leagues. Baseball is putting an emphases on the importance of winning your division and having a secure playoff spot.

Don't win your division? That is fine, you are now one of two teams playing in the unpredictable one game Wild Card Playoff.

How exciting is that? Teams, like the Braves, may have all ready clinched a playoff spot, but it is not time for them to rest players and give up on the season. They have the chance to keep fighting and win their division and skip that unpredictable one game Wild Card Playoff. This is what makes baseball exciting.

Rewards for the teams that have earned it in the regular season and an uphill climb for the teams that were good, but not the best.

Much like the FCS Playoffs in College Football. They have a 24 team playoff with the top 8 teams earning a first round bye. That is so exciting because it gives teams that earned it, a playoff shot, and teams that earned it more, a bit of a rest. Just like in the NFL.

Love FCS Playoffs, Love NFL Playoffs and right now I am loving MLB playoffs.

Just Six games are left in the 2012 regular season, Only two teams have clinched their division out of six, only four teams out of ten have guaranteed a playoff spot, and with six games to go, 14 MLB teams still have a chance to make the playoffs.

What a time to be a fan of Baseball.

Well done Bud. You other leagues...*cough* NBA,NHL,FBSFOOTBALL *cough* can take notes from MLB.

Less is more.

Gaming World - 2027 Troy Trojans - Conference USA Championship Game

Conference USA Championship time. The Troy Trojans vs. The UTEP Miners. You all know what happened last time Troy played UTEP, but if you don't ---> (UTEP Game Recap)

Well this was championship game time. The Trojans were dead set on not letting this team have their way again and go to overtime. #2 Troy was was ready for this game!

If you have looked at the stats in the past blogs, you can see that just like Troy, UTEP has a top offense in college football too.

Just look at how Troy compares to UTEP in every stat. We both rank in the top 4 in every single offensive stat except rush offense. How crazy is that? Even both of our defenses are ranked in the top 14 of the nation. We are both almost equal in every single way. It is so easy to see now at the end of the year why we went to double over time back in week 4.

I remember back when I was a student a Troy University and taking the coaching basketball class with Troy basketball coach Don Maestri, that he told us when he was a high school coach he coached a game with a team that was going to be playing in the Super Dome. To make sure his team was not caught up in the moment and overwhelmed by the big arena, he took them though the dome the day before the big game in order to see it and get all the ohhhs and awwws all out of their system.

I took his advice to heart and have done that with my Trojans every time we get to this game. Due to the success of Conference USA, their championship game was held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. One of the biggest and most awe-inspiring stadiums in the world today. More than 100,000 fans have the chance at any given day to pack this stadium.

This will be my 6th time coaching a game in this stadium, but for many of these Trojan players, it will be their first time playing in this massive stadium. Troy holds a 4-1 record all time in Cowboys stadium and we have achieved that record using the Coach Maestri method. I took the team on a tour of the stadium the day before the championship game so they could see it and get all the excitement out of their systems.

It was Saturday at noon. Game time. #2 Troy vs. #19 UTEP with a shot at the National Championship on the line. I don't think that I mentioned this before, but you know Oklahoma Sooner head coach Bob Stoops? In 2027 he is the head coach of UTEP.

Things got going pretty slow for both teams as both defenses played tough. Troy broke though first in the first quarter when running back Bryan Rhoden completed a long Troy drive with a three yard touchdown run.

Two minutes later, Troy quarterback Alonzo Roberts drilled receiver Chad Gordon in the back of the end zone for a 16 yard touchdown pass. 14-0 Troy. 

When we last played UTEP earlier this season, it was the Miners that got off to a quick start and forced our offense to fight back in the fourth quarter in order to take it to overtime. This time around, a quick start is what I preached to my team, and they listened.

It was all defense in the second quarter up until the final minute...then it all broke loose. Roberts hit receiver Kyle Kidd on a short slant rout that he would break all the way to the end zone. It was a 62 yard touchdown for Roberts. 21-0 Troy.

55 seconds later, UTEP would finally get points on the board when Miner quarterback Corey Conception hit Andrew Dean on a 66 yard touchdown pass. 

It was now 21-7 in favor of the Trojans with just six seconds left on the second quarter clock. My philosophy as a coach has always been if there is time left on the clock, take a smart shot. 97% of the time this results in zero points, 2% of the time this results in an interception and 1% of the time good things happen. UTEP kicked the ball into the end zone and I told my kick returner, no matter where you are on that field, fair catch the football, DO NOT RETURN IT. Returner Chad Gordon listened.

We had the ball at our own 20 yard line with six seconds left of the clock. Hail Mary time. Well won't you believe who won the pony? It was us. That 1% happened in the Conference USA Championship game as Roberts threw the football up into a crowd of cardinal, silver, black, blue and orange. Trojan receiver Adam Rodgers came up with the football and scampered the rest of the way into the end zone to complete an 80 yard touchdown pass. 28-7 Troy at the half.

I told this team in the locker room they better not give up on this UTEP team and I continued to pound the double overtime game into their heads. It must have worked.

We received the football to begin the third quarter and scored in just 24 seconds. Gordon scored on a 45 yard touchdown pass from Roberts. 35-7 Troy.

Later in the quarter, Gordon brought in his third touchdown pass of the football game, this one from six yards out. 42-7 Troy.

We flat out dominated the Minors in this rematch. No one could have predicted this blowout following the double overtime game in the Sun Bowl earlier this season. Not even me.

59 seconds into the fourth quarter Roberts found the end zone for the sixth time when he hit Kidd from 12 yards out. Kidd and Roberts both broke NCAA passing and receiving records on this day, and we will get into more details of the broken records at the end of the season. 

I never thought I would say this against #19 UTEP and Coach Bob Stoops, but it was time to take the starters out of the game and run down the clock. 

Some of the Troy students that made the trip to Arlington for the big game.

The numbers say it all for Alonzo Roberts. What a time for this big time player to step up.

For the fifth time in my seven year coaching career at Troy, we were Conference USA Champions! Sitting on the shelf next to the two Sun Belt titles I won as offensive coordinator at FAU. (History of Coach Burck)

Check out what our defense did to one of the top offensive units in the country. Pure domination.

A look at the school passing records that Roberts has broken. 73 passing touchdowns and 5,918 passing yards.

All of the career Troy records that have been broken this year. The crazy thing about the career record that Kyle Kidd broke...he is only a Junior! Imagine what kind of damage he can do in 2028 if he does not go to the NFL early.

Here is a look at the all time NCAA Passing and receiving records that fell in the UTEP game. What a special season this has been. 

To finish out this blog, a look at where our individual Trojans rank among all other college football players this season. Make note of all the UTEP players on these lists.

Here is how everyone finished up in Conference Championship week:

Troy - Conference USA Champions

WKU - Sun Belt Champions

North Carolina - ACC Champions

Navy - Big East Champions

Alabama - SEC Champions

Air Force - Pac 12 Champions

Wisconsin - B1G Champions

Central Michigan - MAC Champions

Fresno State and Oregon State each shared the Mountain West Championship with 5-2 conference records. 

Utah State won the WAC Championship in 2027 with a 5-1 Conference record.

And last...but not least, #1 TCU finished their season a perfect 12-0 to win the Big XII Championship.

Two Trojans named NCAA Conference Championship week players of the week. More then well deserved!

Up next for the 2027 Trojans is the season end awards and the ESPN Bowl Selection show. Will we be heading to the BCS National Championship game for the second time in three years to take on TCU in the Super Dome? Only one way to find out...tune into the next blog!!

#2 Troy Trojans 2027 Season - (13-0), (10-0)

W - vs MTSU - 72 -6

W - vs Rice*   - 51-24

W - at Tulane*- 42-13

W - at UTEP*- 44-41 (OT 2)

W - vs Houston* - 50-18

W - at Memphis* - 59-31

W - vs Southern Miss* - 24-19

W - at ECU* - 49-28

W - vs UCF* - 45-28

W - vs Notre Dame - 66-13

W - vs FAU* - 59-10

W - at #13 Florida - 38-24

Week 14 - BYE

W- Conference USA Championship Game vs. #19 UTEP - 56-7
Week 16 - Bowl Season